Any computer wizz's here?

[red750]

Quite frequently, the programs which show the directory, such as File Manager and the Open and Save As dialogs, don't show any titles, as shown in the photo below. I have to shut down and restart the computer to restore the titles. It is quite annoying when you go to save something, or open a file, and you can't find the folder or file. Shutting down and restarting means that you usually have to redo what you were working on. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this?

 

 

This photo of the screen was taken with my iPhone because I couldn't save a screen capture from the Snipping Tool.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Crap programming...

 

Seriously, I have never had File misManager not be able to show me the names of directories or filenames, so it could be anything...

 

The Save As dialogue will depend on what language the software is written in... If they use Swing in Java, but choose not to check the O/S for being Windows and not use the Windows "Look and Feel", who knows what will happen...

 

Although, if it sorts itself out after a reboot, it could be all sorts of things gone wrong., usually around caching the file system. Does it happen after you download stiff from a camera/phone connected through USB or from the intersplodgy thing Rather than rebooting, log out of Windows and Log Back in to see if it happens..

Edited May 10, 2020 by Guest

[red750]

Thanks Jerry. It usually happens after the computer has been hibernating. If I'm away from the computer for 10 minutes or more and it goes to sleep, the problem seems to occur after I wake it up.

[Jerry_Atrick]

What's the version of wndows you are using?

[red750]

Win 10 Home v.1909.

[Jerry_Atrick]

It had a search feature "updated" in File Manager - where it tries to guess your search string in the same way google does. I doesn't sound like it should give you the issues, but since most implementations of file dialogue boxes and File Manager use the same core windows DLLs, it could. Was it happening in previous versions of Windows 10?

[Marty_d]

Win 10 Home v.1909.

 

There's your problem... your system's 111 years out of date.

[spacesailor]

I have noticed ( something on my laptop/tablet): "&amp" . appears when hitting the "&" key.

other's seem to have this same problem.

spacesailor

[onetrack]

Peter, you can usually find solutions to common Windows OS faults with a Google search.

 

It seems the problem of file names disappearing in Windows 10 is common, and is caused by either corrupt files, or software conflicts after updates or downloads of new programmes.

 

Microsoft appear to be pretty useless as regards offering solutions for problems - I think it's basically because Windows 10 still has a lot of bugs, and MS management is more intent on getting $$'s from users, rather than helping with free technical support. Plus the amount of programmes available is increasing continually, and bugs continue to appear with each new programme.

 

However, I did find one computer whizz who put up a YouTube video on how to effect a fix for the missing file names. Unfortunately, he's a bit long winded - but he at least does offer a comprehensive guide as to how to do it.

It involves inputting commands via the DOS menu, so ensure you're comfortable doing that - and make sure your typed commands are spelt correctly.

 

Unfortunately, if there are corrupted files the system cannot repair, there's not much can be done about that - apart from reloading Windows from scratch.

The computer whizz is a Pom, if his accent is a bit hard to fathom, there's subtitles available for the video.

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Guest

[red750]

Thanks for that Onetrack. I'll try working through it when I get some time. Watched the video, but need to go through it a bit more thoroughly before tackling those fixes.

[willedoo]

Peter, one thing you didn't mention was if it's doing it in all folders or just odd ones.

[red750]

All folders. Just like the example in the video. If I leave the computer and it goes into sleep mode, when it comes back I cannot find directory entries to either save files or open them. When I open Word, Excel, Paint or Snipping Tool, there is nothing. It's like the progamming doesn't wake up with the system. I have to close everything, shut down and restart. It only happens when the system has gone into sleep mode.

[willedoo]

I think if it's just happening in one folder, you can delete the folder's desktop.ini file and reboot so it will create a fresh one. But if it's right across the board it sounds like a bigger problem. That scannow method onetrack linked to might be worth a try. Doing a google seems to bring up lots of references to Windows 10 sometimes having that problem. I've been lucky so far with it.

[willedoo]

Peter, I hope you don't mind me using your thread to ask a question. I thought it might be better than opening a completely new thread.

 

Question is, do any forum members use dropbox? Reason I ask is that I haven't used my account for a while and now I can't download any of my files and folders from there. I'm trying to send a folder of photos to a relative in the U.K., but at this stage I can't even retrieve my own data.

[willedoo]

Cancel the above question; I figured it out. I use Firefox browser and it won't display the downloads options. Tried another browser and it worked.

[red750]

Hi Willie,

 

I have used dropbox a bit. Here is a tutorial I created in 2015. I right clicked in File Manager to get the menu, then clicked on "Copy Dropbox Link". I have opened the file to ensure it works. Click on this link and let me know how you go.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1fcou45i58neyzh/Photoscape Clone Stamp.ppsx?dl=0

[willedoo]

Thanks Peter. In Firefox I was able to right click and copy/paste the image ok. The problem I'm having is with my own account using Firefox. I can see all my files and folders and view the contents ok on dropbox, but Firefox is not displaying the widget you click on for options like download or move files etc.. Right clicking on the folders responds with the options for right clicking a blank page, so right click is not recognizing the folders.

 

I've tried it with MS Edge and Yandex browsers and both work as normal and download files ok. I guess with the limited amount of use I have for dropbox, I can just use another browser if need be. Still waiting to hear back from the UK relatives to see if they were able to download from the link I sent them.

Edited November 8, 2020 by willedoo

[willedoo]

I must be a bit slow; it always takes me a while to catch onto things. I've always used the computer desktop as a parking space to store regularly used stuff. Just a plain coloured background, currently about 80% full of icons, folders and the odd file or twenty. Due to the clutter, it can be difficult to locate a specific item quickly. Recently I had one of those light bulb moments and tried putting a shortcut to the desktop on the desktop. All I have to do now is click on that icon and it opens up an easy to navigate explorer page with everything that's on the desktop. I wish I'd thought of it years ago.

[old man emu]

13 minutes ago, willedoo said:

I've always used the computer desktop as a parking space

You have to think of the computer screen as your workspace. You have to keep your workspace uncluttered in order to work efficiently. What you have to do is harken back to pre-computerised offices or workspaces. You had places to store the things you didn't use frequently. If, say you got a document (Widget L4 drawing), you put it in a folder( Aileron control widgets) , which could be then put in a filing cabinet drawer( Wing components) in a filing cabinet (Puddle-Jumper Mk 4). And the filing cabinet would be in your workspace)

 

Using a computer the old system becomes:

C:\\Wing Components\Aileron control widgets\Widget L4 drawing

 

So you create a folder "Puddle-Jumper Mk 4", and open it. it will be empty. Then in that empty folder you create a sub-folder "Aileron control widgets" and open it. Then in that empty folder you save the document "Widget L4 drawing". Then on your desktop you will have only one icon directing to everything to do with the Puddle-Jumper Mk 4, and the screen will be cleared.

 

This is what my desktop looks like.

 

[willedoo]

1 hour ago, old man emu said:

What you have to do is harken back to pre-computerised offices or workspaces.

Maybe not a good idea; my real life wooden desktop is worse.

[red750]

Here's my desktop - a bit busy I know. Must get around to cleaning it up.

 

 

Here is the directory of the files associated with the Aircraft showcase. When I download an image from the internet, 99.9% of the time it will need resizing, cropping or other editing. I save the edited version in the category folders, and the editor saves the original into subfolders called, obviously, Originals. So I can go back and edit  differently if necessary.

 

 

 

[willedoo]

Thunderstorm season is here and I've had the usual blowout of the copper phone/ADSL line on Monday. I was in Jaycar today and the young bloke there showed me how to get online using the smartphone as a wifi hotspot via my wifi router to the laptop. It's all working ok and just as fast, just more expensive data via phone than my internet service provider on the ADSL.

 

The only problem was that whenever I touched the phone, all sorts of unsolicited internet content would appear on the phone screen. News feeds, videos, you name it. The worst was this really annoying full screen video of some lady with tattoos dancing around a room (probably in Inala by the look of her; I think she might be Karen). At least she had clothes on. But every time I went near the phone, there she was again. Also a couple of mini screen news videos blocking settings icons.

 

I rang the mate who gave the phone to me. He said he'd done a factory reset before handing it on to me and suggested a reboot of the phone. Did that and it didn't work - there she was again, dancing around with her tattoos. Plus all the other garbage. So using the hotspot on my laptop, I did some Googling to learn what I could disable, uninstall or turn off. One setting was 'enable video autoplay'. Since turning that off it's been a bit quieter. At least that woman's gone. I uninstalled everything I don't use and hopefully that will fix it. Up to this point, I've had mobile data turned off to stop all the spam (it's an old Galaxy S5).

 

It's a shock to the system when you are used to using a phone line laptop or desktop where you have total control over internet content. With a bit of luck Telstra can patch up my tired old phone cable in the next few days and I'll hopefully never lay eyes on Karen from Inala again. The thing I can't figure out is that the line went out an hour before any lightning hit the property. With a bit of luck, it might be just water in the pit down on the street. Every time the line breaks, it's a real inconvenience as it's buried beneath the driveway. Telstra have to rip up the drive to do the repair and it causes erosion of the driveway next time it rains.

Edited December 9, 2020 by willedoo

[red750]

Well, my trusty old Toshiba laptop up and died. A message came up saying "Checking hard disk' and gave a seven second window to cancel the operation. I let it run, then it gave the message "Repairing disk errors. This may take more than an hour to complete." I went to bed and left it running, and it was still going six hours later. I let it run another and there was no sign of it finishing, so I shut down the computer. When I restarted it I got the error Cannot find bootup. Insert boot disk. Unfortunately, if I had one, I don't know where it is.

 

I am now using an old HP my son had, using Windows Vista, so some things may not work. But at least I am back on the net. It has Snipping Tool and my photo editing software, PhotoScape installed, so I should be able to do most things with it. The screen does have a single pixel red line which runs right down the height of the screen about 2 inches in from the right border, but that won't affect anything I do. All my Rec Flying files are safely on an external hard drive (solid state), but I have lost some personal and family stuff.

[Jerry_Atrick]

If there's nothing terribly important on the hard drive, you can try booting into the bios and looking for a system restore or Restore Windows option - it may wipe your hard drive, but that could fix it..

 

It could be be either the disk or the disk conroller is stuffed. If the disk is stuffed and you have important stuff you want but haven't backed it up, there is decent recovery software around - and your local computer shop should be able to retrieve most. If the controller is stuffed, well, these days I understand, they are usually integrated onto a motherboard. For aq desktop, I would suggest getting a spearat card and it should work, but for a laptop... hmm.. may be a new motherboard.

 

Best to take it to a repair shop to get them to let you know what they think

[willedoo]

Peter, you may already have one, but a hard drive dock is a good investment. If the laptop drive is still spinning, it would be worth a try to remove the drive, plug it into the dock and connect to your current computer. If everything works, at least you can retrieve your files to another computer or continue to use the drive as external storage. I made the mistake of buying a single bay dock for $45; it wasn't long before I had to buy a dual bay dock so I could copy from one drive to another. It was only $15 dearer than the single unit.

 

One thing I'm not sure of; Jerry might know. When using the laptop drive as an external drive in a dock, to retrieve files, does that drive's file allocation table have to be up and running, or does the master laptop do all that.

 

I use the hard drive dock almost daily to access storage drives. I used to buy those USB powered external drives (the ones about the size of a mobile phone). Problem with them is they are expensive, unreliable, and unless you back them up, they are at great risk of file corruption and losing data. Now I buy second hand 2.5" laptop drives on evilbay for a fraction of the price and they are heaps more robust and reliable.